MLS (USA)

MLS (USA) (Major League Soccer, MLS, founded in 1993, first season played in 1996) - the top professional club soccer division in the United States and Canada. Regulations: the league is traditionally organised as a regular season followed by the MLS Cup Playoffs, while an approved shift to a summer-to-spring calendar with a winter break means scheduling and competition structure may be adjusted by the league. In the regular season teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, standings are tracked by conference, and if clubs are level on points the tie-breakers are applied in order as total wins, goal differential, goals for, fewest disciplinary points per match, away goal differential, away goals for, home goal differential, home goals for, then a coin toss or drawing of lots. In the current playoff format, 9 teams per conference typically qualify, the 8th and 9th seeds play a single Wild Card match with no extra time and an immediate penalty shoot-out if level after 90 minutes, Round One is played as best-of-3 series where tied matches go straight to penalties, and from the Conference Semifinals onward ties are single-elimination games with extra time and then penalties if needed, with MLS Cup as a single final under the same rules. The regular-season overall points leader wins the Supporters’ Shield, and CONCACAF club competition places are allocated under separate league and confederation criteria, typically via MLS Cup, the best regular-season record and domestic cup pathways in the United States and Canada.